1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an artificial nail tip with improvements over the prior art which allow for more efficient and effective attachment to a natural nail for prosthetic and/or cosmetic purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cosmetic and/or prosthetic nail tips have long been known in the art. In the past, cosmetologists have trimmed various parts of the artificial nail tip away in order to both better fit the artificial nail tip to the bonding surface and also provide greater flexibility in the bonded section of the nail tip for a more secure attachment.
Various U.S. patents of possible interest and relevance to the present invention include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,166; U.S. Pat. No. 2,864,384; U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,756; U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,551; U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,246; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,720.
Schiff et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,645, goes so far as to disclose an artificial nail including a perforated, and thus removeable, rear section which accomplishes the task of cutting required to increase flexibility of the overlay portion for a more proper attachment to an irregular or problem nail surface. The perforations, however, may or may not leave a regular pattern, perhaps would leave no pattern at all after the unneeded piece is removed. Remnants of the perforation may even become a hindrance needing to be filed or cut away if there is not a clean break between the usable and discarded portions. No provision is made for accurately and symmetrically trimming the artificial nail tip to fit an individual recipient.
Further disclosed in the prior art is a rear or overlay portion thinner than the forward portion of the nail tip providing further increase in flexibility. Even or symmetrical measurement in length for accurate fitting and additional trimming, when necessary, remains, however, difficult.
None of these references discloses an artificial nail tip both readily attachable to regular and irregular nail surfaces and also having a predisposed pattern useful for measurements in trimming and improvement of adhesion to an intended surface as is disclosed by the present invention.